Silent Reverie
by darla101
Summary: With Palpatine dead, Anakin must live up to his actions - but can his mind take it? Inc. Padme, Obi-Wan, Luke & Leia. NEW POST 26803!
1. The Aftermath

Title: Silent Reverie  
  
Timeframe: Ep III AU  
  
Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padmé Skywalker, Jedi in general.  
  
Genre: AU Ep III, Ani Rehab  
  
Keywords: Anakin, Obi-Wan, AU, Episode III, Rehabilitation  
  
Summary: Palpatine is dead, killed by his servant finally seeing who he was, but now Anakin has to deal with his being world in pieces.  
  
Notes: This is a Rehab fic, and I'm sure people will agree with me if I say Anakin is not in the best of places, so it does get quite angsty. Obi-Wan will be in this quite a bit, and fans of the Master/Padawan relationship are in for a treat. This is pre-dual, so Anakin hasn't gone all snap hiss like. There will be young Luke & Leia appearing in this, at several points.  
  
-----  
  
ONE  
  
-----  
  
He'd been there a while.  
  
He wasn't sure exactly how long, time didn't seem to have much effect anymore, but it wasn't a short time. He'd been staring at each of the little cracks in the wall. They looked like black tears. He'd been rocking at some point, when had he stopped? He couldn't remember. Memory wasn't what it used to be.  
  
His head hurt, and he reached up to feel the blood as it fell from his forehead. He just stared at it on his fingers, like it was abstract, unreal -  
  
//Flames and fire .Screaming as they engulfed him.the former master.this was right.it had to be.//  
  
He shut his eyes, and flinched at the darkness. Tears were falling down his cheeks now, falling on to the clean white untainted bedspread, and he began to shiver. It was very cold inside.  
  
Why was there a piece of plastic on his wrist? He began to pull at it, wanting the restraints to leave.  
  
Pulling it off, he flung it towards the door on the wall a few meters in front, and laid back against the cold white wall behind, his tears marking the wall.  
  
----  
  
Obi-Wan did not like waiting.  
  
In principle, Jedi should be comfortable with waiting, but unfortunately, principle is not always true to life. He'd been standing in the waiting area of the newly rebuilt med centre, but it had been almost three hours since any of the healers had talked to him.  
  
Three hours since he'd left the shaking figure of his - former? - apprentice in their more than capable hands. In retrospect, three hours of pacing, 'hmmm'-ing and in general worrying was not a good thing. He was getting tired.  
  
There was nothing he could do until they said he could. He felt helpless, and it was not a feeling he enjoyed at all.  
  
Finally, after a lifetime or twenty, a young healer came into the room. She wasn't human, but humanoid, a Vorzydiak, if his eyes weren't deceiving him from lack of sleep. He wasn't used to seeing them at the Temple, they were a very keep-yourself-to-yourself kind of people. She looked at him, and he signalled her to sit down on the empty chair opposite.  
  
"Physically? He could be better, but the treatments seem to going well. We are confident that they will be successful."  
  
But Obi-Wan knew that tone of voice, he heard it far too much these days. "And the bad news?"  
  
The healer rubbed her eyes, and sighed heavily. "The kind of emotional impact something like this makes is.incredible. The physical side, given enough time and physiotherapy, could get better, but I honestly don't know what kind of effect this will have on his mind, or personality."  
  
"Well, how does he seem?"  
  
"I'd say he's in shock, he hasn't quite realised what's happened yet," she said. "He's quiet."  
  
'That'll be a first.' Obi-Wan thought ruefully.  
  
"May I see him?"  
  
She nodded and motioned for him to follow her. They walked past a few of the wards, till they came to the private rooms. These where kept for patients in critical condition, or ones of a dangerous nature. They stopped out side a small room to the left, and he breathed heavily, abut to enter.  
  
He felt her slip something into his hand, and he barely noticed it for a moment, and when he looked down he was quite upset to see a panic button.  
  
"Regulations," was the only answer she gave to his disapproving glare.  
  
He braced himself and entered the room.  
  
It was a small, Spartan room, with one window, heavily barred, but it let the sun in none the less. There was a bed next to the wall on the right side, and next to that a bedside table with a plastic jug of water and 3 beakers.  
  
Lying against the wall, eyes closed and head leaning on his shoulder, was the shell of a human being that used to be called Anakin Skywalker. He still looked like Anakin, same blonde hair albeit singed, the same eyes albeit sadder. He had a few scars from the fight with Sidious, a heavily wounded right foot, and a bloody scar down his forehead cheek, which was still bleeding.  
  
Obi-Wan smiled sadly. He needed to be taken care of, as always.  
  
He sat down on the bed gently, which must have startled Anakin, as he jumped and pulled back, but once he'd seen Obi-Wan, he seemed to calm down.  
  
"Hey," he spoke gently, "How are you?"  
  
Anakin just continued to stare.  
  
Obi-Wan took a handkerchief from his pocket, and reached over to clean the gash on Anakins forehead. But apparently, he didn't want that either, as he pushed himself on to the top of the bed.  
  
"Come on, Anakin. You don't want to stay all bloody, do you?" he said, gently. Anakin looked from the handkerchief to his master a few times, and then shook his head.  
  
Smiling a little, Obi-Wan took the handkerchief and began to dab the flinching twenty -three year olds' head. "You just don't feel like talking to me, do you? You know you'll have to sometime, don't you, hmm?" He finished dabbing, and tried to get the young man to face him, "Anakin.Anakin, come on, stop it." He took the bottom of his chin, and moved it gently into view, only to be hit in the heart by the image in front of him.  
  
Tears were strolling down the young mans face, gathered with a soft sniffing that threatened to blow into a full tear-fest. But it didn't. The tears kept coming but it was like he wouldn't acknowledge them, so they just fell.  
  
Obi-Wan sighed and looked away for just a moment. Something shone in the Coruscant sun light that caught his eyes. The plastic medical band was lying on the floor. He got up for a moment to pick it up, and then sat back on the bed.  
  
"Anakin, you mustn't take this off, alright? You must keep it on." He took Anakins wrist, and tried to reattach the band, but Anakin constantly squirmed and tried to pull away.  
  
"What's the matter? Why don't you want this on you?" The only reply he got was more squirming, and moaning. "Anakin, you stop this and you talk to me. Understand? Stop it."  
  
The young mans arm went limp, in Obi-Wans' hand, and he whimpering stopped. Even the tears stopped flowing, but his eyes looked like glass, threatening to break any moment.  
  
Obi-Wan reattached the band, then sat opposite the young man. "Come on, please? Talk to me? Tell me what's wrong?"  
  
Anakin started to play with the band, tugging at it, and started to whisper, ".is chains.chains and never ever free.never leave.he just.won't leave." The glass broke, and the tears came hot and heavy. ".Never.ever free.want.come.home."  
  
"You're afraid he'll come back." Obi-Wan stated. "He's not, and you're home and thing's will be alright. Alright? Things will be fine."  
  
Anakin just shook his head, over and over again.  
  
"Master Kenobi?"  
  
Obi-Wan looked around to see the young healer standing in the doorway.  
  
"He should rest now."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, and whispered gently to Anakin. "I'll come and see you in the morning, all right? Some of the other masters want to see you too, do you want them to come?"  
  
If Anakin heard him, he gave no sign of it, he just kept crying and rocking. Obi-Wan gently smoothed his hair, like he did when Anakin was young, and said gently, "Sweet dreams."  
  
As he left the room, he doubted that Anakin would have.  
  
----  
  
Questions? Comments? 


	2. Telling Padme

"Oh, its you."  
  
Padme Skywalker opened he door to her Coruscant apartment fully, and motioned for the Jedi to come in. She was dressed in simple clothes, well as simple as clothes for the Chancellor nominee got, and her hair was hanging loosely around her shoulders. Her top was lilac, trimmed with black lace, and a she wore a long slit skirt, with lilac roses imprinted on it. She wore a lace cloth of black roses around her neck, which seemed almost apart of her top, perhaps it was.  
  
She walked through to her kitchen, which apparently linked to the front room, as he could see a little boy playing in there. Luke.  
  
"You were expecting someone else?"  
  
Obi-Wan walked into the kitchen after her, and perched on the stool. She resumed making tea, and nodded. "Sache is coming over, we're going to look at some preschools."  
  
"How are you?"  
  
Padme looked up, a sad smile playing on her features. "Two year olds are a hand full, but I'm alright."  
  
'She doesn't want to talk about it,' he noted.  
  
"And the twins?"  
  
"They are well." She smiled, genuinely this time. "They're in the front room."  
  
Obi-Wan looked in the front room again, and said gently, "I only see Luke."  
  
Padme turned to her left, and quickly ran into the living room, then to another room outside of Obi-Wans' sight. A moment late she came out with squirming little girl in her arms, a girl dressed in one of Padme's senatorial dresses, which was much much to be big for her.  
  
Obi-Wan had to use all of his training as a Jedi just to stifle a giggle.  
  
"No, no, no, honey. Mommy's dresses are not for you." Padme was telling the little girl, who was getting very agitated. Her little pigtails where really the only thing about Leia that made her look different to what he imagined the senator to be like as a child. He wondered briefly if she had been as mischievous.  
  
"Okay, come on, little miss cranky. I think it's time for a nap." She said, peeling off the huge dress to reveal a cute denim dress underneath it. She looked at Obi-Wan, and asked if he would pick up Luke.  
  
Obi-Wan did what he was told, going over to the little boy who had been playing with building blocks the whole time, and picking him up. It was almost frightening to do so, the boys resemblance to his father was uncanny. The same hair, the deep blue eyes, and, given the look the toddler gave Obi-Wan when he took him away from his toys, the same aversion to doing what was good for him. With that thought a pang hit his heart and he remembered why he had come.  
  
He handed Luke to Padme, who'd by some miracle managed to get Leia to bed, and let her take the little boy into his room. He waited for a moment, and she reappeared.  
  
"We need to talk."  
  
---  
  
It was a cold room, but that's a good thing.  
  
If you can the cold, you can feel something, and if you can feel something, then you're not dead, you didn't die.  
  
If you're not dead, then you can do things, like.breathing, and going outside in the sunshine, the shining that was too bright, it's far too bright, but you could go out and eat cake and have picnics.  
  
If you're not dead.  
  
That's what he'd been asking himself.  
  
Am I dead?  
  
No, he didn't think so.  
  
If he was dead, then why was the ain getting worse. Its not supposed to do that. It's supposed to get better, and it's not getting any better.  
  
'What happened to me?'  
  
---  
  
"Here,"  
  
Obi-Wan passed a glass of water to the young woman.  
  
"No, thank you." She said, drinking it back like a shot.  
  
"I thought you had a right to know. He'd want you to." Obi-Wan said, sitting on the sofa beside her.  
  
She looked up at him, wide eyed. "Is he...okay?" Then she caught herself. "No, of course he isn't."  
  
"Just give him time."  
  
Padme laughed ruefully. "Someone once said to me that when that happens to someone, they turn, that it's like they have a spice addiction, or an alcohol problem. That they can get better. Is that true? Can I have him back?"  
  
Obi-Wan looked down, "He's there, he's just mixed up, in shock, as the healers put it."  
  
"Can I see him?"  
  
"Do you think that's wise?"  
  
Padme got up, and went to the window. "I need my husband, Obi-Wan. I need him back. My.Our children need they're father. They'll be three in a little more than a month, and they're never even met him."  
  
"I can understand that, really I can. It's just.the way he is right now.it's volatile. Getting another shock would not help that, surely you know that. Seeing Luke and Leia could make things even worse."  
  
"What about me?" she said, choking back her tears. "Will I make things worse?"  
  
"Maybe.in a few days. Give him a chance to settle a little."  
  
"I want to see my Daddy."  
  
Both of them turned to see the twins, standing in their nightclothes out side their bedroom door.  
  
Padme looked to Obi-Wan, and walked over to bend next to her son and daughter. "We want to see our Daddy." Leia said, pluralizing her brother's words. She looked back to Obi-Wan, who was smiling slightly.  
  
"He's sick honey, and you don't want to make him worse, do you?" Padme said, pulling her daughters hair behind her tiny ears.  
  
"How'd we make it worse?"  
  
'How do I explain this without hurting them or getting to complicated?' Padme thought.  
  
"Does he hate us?" Luke asked, looking on the verge of crying.  
  
"Is that why he isn't here?"  
  
"Did we do something wrong?"  
  
"Is that we never see him?"  
  
At this point, both twins looked very upset, and there was really only one solution: she pulled them both into a hug.  
  
"No, he's just been.ill, and he doesn't want you to see him ill, but when he feels better, he'll want very badly to see you."  
  
They began to clear their eyes.  
  
"Really?" Luke said.  
  
"Promise?" Leia echoed.  
  
Padme nodded. "Come on, back to bed." She nudged the children back into their room, then re immerged a few minutes later.  
  
"They better be able to see him." She said, looking meaningfully at the Jedi Master.  
  
"They will." He said.  
  
They began to walk back to the kitchen, when Padme asked, "Why were you smiling back then?"  
  
"Oh," he grinned. "Just thinking how much Leia takes after her mother."  
  
Padme smiled. "Why do you say that?"  
  
"She spoke up. It took courage. That's very like you." Obi-Wan began towards the door.  
  
"You know, she'd make a great senator."  
  
---  
  
Deep, hidden away in the underworlds of Coruscant, the darkness swirled around a lone figure, as he put his plan into action. 


	3. Seeing Anakin

Sorry I was so long. Darth Real Life and Darth Exams have been plaguing me.  
  
This is dedicated to Holly.  
  
---  
  
He couldn't put off seeing him any longer and he wasn't sure if he even wanted too.  
  
Anakin had been in the med center for over a week, and he's barely seen him. It wasn't fair on Anakin.  
  
Walking through the halls of the temple, faces seemed to blur into one another, and fade into the background, their voices, and the clicks of jedi tailored shoes all became meaningless static.  
  
Somehow he managed to direct himself to the medical bay, where he found his legs taking the rest of his body with his, to the tiny room, where he paused outside the door and breathed deeply.  
  
'This isn't the time to fall apart. You can do that later. You can be strong.'  
  
With that thought, he twisted the handle into the white room. That's what he's always disliked about the med center; it was very bare looking, very bland.  
  
He imagined Anakin thought the same.  
  
Too his surprise, he saw that Anakin was sitting up, staring out the window adjacent, staring at the bright colors of the rebuilding city around him, bathed in the glow of the morning sun.  
  
"Its beautiful, isn't it?"  
  
Anakin snapped his head around to meet him, in a quick movement. He looked tired, as if he'd been correct in the thought that Anakin would not sleep well, and he had instead tossed and turned all night long.  
  
Anakin just blinked and - was that a faint smile he could see? Was that too much to hope for?  
  
He made his way over to the bed, and sat down next to Anakin.  
  
'He's actually looking at me.' Obi-Wan thought. 'That's a good sign.'  
  
"Perhaps I could talk one of the healers into letting me take you out in to the grounds in a few days, would you like that?" he asked, moving to smooth the young mans' wrinkled t-shirt, as he'd done one a million times before, what felt like a thousand years ago.  
  
There!  
  
That was a definite smile!  
  
'Progress is being made, at least.'  
  
---  
  
"Are you sure you don't mind taking them?"  
  
"Don't be silly." Sola laughed. "How many times did you look after Ryoo and Pooja for me, hmm?"  
  
"This," Padme said, and handed her a slip of paper, "Is the number of my personal line. If theres any - any - trouble at all, call me."  
  
"There won't be trouble. Go, spend some time with your husband." Sola shooed Padme out the door.  
  
"Okay, hang on! Let me say good bye first!"  
  
Sola put her hands on her hips, "They're napping. If you wake them, they'll be cranky. You'll be back before they know it." She handed Padme her coat. "They'll have fun with Aunty Sola, okay?"  
  
Padme relented, walking out the door finally. "Don't forget to give them a hug from me when they wake up!"  
  
Sola grumbled something about never being that bad and shut the door. Padme walked over to the air taxi that had been waiting, and climbed in.  
  
"Where to?"  
  
"The Jedi Temple, please."  
  
---  
  
As Padme walked through the visitor entrance of the Jedi Med Center, a familiar face caught her eye.  
  
"Yogurt craving, Obi-Wan?" he said, tapping him on the shoulder.  
  
He turned sharply, obviously startled, "Senator,-"  
  
"Padme."  
  
"Padme," he corrected. "It's for Anakin, actually. He's always had a thing for shurra flavored yogurt."  
  
Padme laughed, "Well, are we going to stand here or can I see him?"  
  
Obi-Wan motioned for her to follow, and as they walked down the hall, he commented, "You're very cheery today."  
  
"The twins are actually sleeping through the night, I have family on planet and I'm seeing my husband. Why shouldn't I be happy?"  
  
Her answer came too fast, as they started along the corridor. It reeked of suffering, carving her heart into pieces. "This war has hurt so many."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, and as they approached the door, he sad gently, "Don't expect too much. He's not ready to talk, or cry or do much of anything yet, my Lady."  
  
They walked in, and Padme found her letting go of her breath. He may be hurt, but he still looks, and is my Ani. Anakin looked straight into Padme's eyes, and bore into her soul.  
  
"You have a visitor today." Obi-Wan spoke up. He then turned to Padme, "I'll give you a minute alone."  
  
Padme nodded and Obi-Wan left the room. She walked straight up to him, and knelt in front of him. She then reached out and touched his head, "Hi."  
  
--- Five minutes, perhaps ten after Obi-Wan had decided to leave the two alone, Padme's coat started to beep.  
  
He gently lifted it out, and opened the door.  
  
".and Ryoo is starting another school soon, she's ten now, can you believe it?"  
  
"Padme."  
  
Padme looked round to see Obi-Wan, and got up, walking over to him. He offered her the device, and she read the message, with heavy eyes.  
  
"Luke's managed to pick himself up a cold. I knew I should have made wear a coat to the park yesterday."  
  
"Of course, if Luke is sick."  
  
"I have to go."  
  
"Who's Luke?"  
  
They both turned in surprise, at the weak voice that came from across the room. Anakin was staring at them, obviously not understanding the conversation.  
  
"What?" Padme asked, her throat dry.  
  
"Who - is - Luke?" Anakin asked, accentuating every word, even though he sounded quiet.  
  
Padme looked to Obi-Wan, who just stared back at her. She decided what to do in that instant and walked up to Anakin, kneeling again.  
  
"Luke - Luke's our son."  
  
--- 


	4. Padawan Braid

Anakin looked at Padme, at Obi-Wan then back at Padme, an undistinguishable hurt in his eyes. He had flinched slightly as Padme had spoken, not at all the reaction everyone had been expecting from him. Perhaps Obi-Wan had been right, and it'd just hurt him. She just put on her best smile, and decided to take it a step at a time in the future.  
  
"You have a son?" He said, sounding like a child that'd lost his favourite toy.  
  
"No *we* have a son."  
  
Suddenly, he looked confused; screwing up his face, just like when the hyperdrive broke on her - their - brother in law, Darreds, freighter.  
  
He was scouting buildings on Correllia when his own vessel had broken down, and they had lent him a YT-1300. Of course, those things can be so finicky and unreliable sometimes, especially the hyperdrive, and not to mention they have a tendency to look like they just came off a junk pile, the thing had broken, and even scarier, Anakin couldn't make sense of why it wouldn't work. Mechanically, everything was fine! It wasn't until he got deep into the relays, that he realised a family of ducks had decided to nest there! Padme smiled at the memory.  
  
"I don't have a son."  
  
"Yes, you do.Daddy." She teased. "Got a little girl too."  
  
He just kept staring at her, and eventually muttered "Wow."  
  
"Pretty wow." She agreed.  
  
"They're sick?" A flash of worry passed his eyes.  
  
"Lukes running a tempreture, and I do really need to go." She said, turning to Obi-Wan, who nodded understandingly.  
  
Turning back to her husband, she kissed him very gently on the lips. "I'll be back, you know. I'm not going anywhere, no one is." She stood, up and added with a grin. "I've been changing nappies likes there's no tomorrow. You'll need to catch up."  
  
Leaving his piercing gaze, she walked up to Obi-Wan, who gave a short "I won't be long," to the recovering Jedi,  
  
As he shut the door, Padme turned to him. "I'm sorry, it just came out."  
  
"No, no," He said. "This is a good thing. Really."  
  
"Okay. Well I have to go now, and I'll call here in the morning?"  
  
"That's fine." Obi-Wan commented.  
  
As the senator left, Obi-Wan lifted the yoghurt he's left outside, and headed back in. "That didn't take very long, did it?" He said, shutting the door.  
  
"Stop it."  
  
"Stop what?"  
  
"Stop treating me like I'm so fragile. I'm not. I'm not fragile! I won't.I won't break if you shatter me or leave me alone."  
  
Obi-Wan sat on the bed beside him, facing him, "Well, do you want to be left alone?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then what do you want?"  
  
Anakin laughed ruefully, but without a smile, "Sleepin' would be nice."  
  
"Well, how about I talk to the healers about that?"  
  
"Mmmm.." was the only reply.  
  
'Oh yes, he's getting back to normal.'  
  
---  
  
//Morning light, the sun is saying, goodbye to the night, and hello to a brand new day.//  
  
'Oh great, pop songs in the morning.'  
  
Padme Amidala Skywalker was not having a good morning. Luke had been ill most of the night, Healer come and gone prescribing pills and rest, but that didn't stop her from being dead tired.  
  
//It's morning now, let it shine through you, let it take you away..//  
  
'Figures.'  
  
Little Leia had been awake most of the night too, and thankfully was very sleepy. Twins can be a real handful. She poured the morning, yawning and looking in at her babies every few seconds.  
  
//Rise and shine, get up and go, don't you know you're gonna shine like the star you are, you are.//  
  
'That's it. Even I can only stand to hear so much happiness at 7:30 am!'  
  
She reached over to turn the radio off.and the switch came off in her hand. It was times like these she missed Anakin the most, when something needed to be fixed. She tried to reach inside to switch it off, but it just kept going! //Don't you know the suns gonna rise in your eyes and even though it's kind of bright it'll light you're way.//  
  
'Will you shut up!'  
  
She slammed the radio lightly on its side, on the breakfast bar. Nothing.  
  
//To a brand new day, okay, everybody rise and shine today.//  
  
This time she really whacked it, thou rally, this time shattering the radio and whacking up Luke, who was rolling around in his bed. It took the normally calm and controlled senator a minute to realise that the banging was not the destruction of her radio echoing in her head, but the door.  
  
"I come baring coffee." Came Sabe's reply as Padme answered the door.  
  
"You're a life saver." Padme smiled, opening for her to come in. "You're up early."  
  
Sabe came in and sat the shopping down. "Ahh, the life of a handmaiden!" she giggled. She looked into the babies bedroom and then to the kitchen and raised an eyebrow. "You and you're radio having relationship problems?"  
  
"You're hilarious. Really. You should do stand up."  
  
"What?" she said, incredulous. "And miss my favourite twins?"  
  
She went to Leia first, seen she was sleeping and went immediately to Luke. "Is that you making all that noise? Is it? It is, isn't it?" she cooed, the toddler smiling and giggling at her.  
  
"When I do that, he throws up, when you do it, he giggles." Padme commented.  
  
"Bad morning?"  
  
"Something like that."  
  
---  
  
When Obi-Wan opened Anakins door, the last thing he expected was to find the youth dozing on top of the bed sheets. It was rather sweet in a way, but he'd get a cold like that. Obi-Wan reached for the sheet at the bottom of the bed, and pulled it over him, something he's done a million and one times after he's fallen asleep, well practically anywhere, after a mission. The pilot cockpit, the meditation chambers, sometimes the seats outside the med centre. Anakin could sleep anywhere if he was tired enough.  
  
Anakin squirmed underneath the sheets and cracked an eye open.  
  
"Good Morning."  
  
Apparently, he wasn't in the mood to answer. "I brought you something. I don't know if you want it, but just." he babbled, reaching into his pocket, bringing something long and red out of hi pocked for the half awake boy to see.  
  
His padawan braid.  
  
Anakin reached out softly to touch it, but didn't take it from him. "I can't."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"'Cause I.I."  
  
Obi-Wan felt a drop of warmth on his head, and looked down at the young man, who was sobbing. He just gently put Anakins head on his shoulder, and waited for the tears to stop.  
  
---  
  
Did anyone spot the in-joke, or where those lyrics are from? 


	5. Truths & Break downs

Sorry it took so long. I've been ill so I haven't been on. The joke was the type of ship Padme was describing is the same type as the Millennium Falcon.  
  
---  
  
"Want to talk about it?"  
  
"Would it matter if I said no?"  
  
Sabe handed her a cup of coffee and smiled, "Of course not."  
  
"Didn't think so," Padme smiled ruefully, sipping at the steaming coffee.  
  
"So, come on."  
  
Padme sighed. "I don't know. It's just.I'm supposed to be taking the twins up to be taking the twins up to see him tomorrow and I just.I'm not sure why but."  
  
"A part of you doesn't want to." Sabe said gently.  
  
"Yes." Padme rubbed her eyes. "It's just that it's hard for me.seeing him.like this. I don't know how they'll react. I'm not sure I want to let them see." Her eyes were starting to water, tears turning her eyes glassy, threatening to erupt. "They're my babies, Sabe. Our babies. I don't want them to be upset." Her voice started to break. "I know I need to be strong for this, but I don't know how!"  
  
Sabe reached a tissue to her, and put her hand on her arm. "That's normal. It's what's supposed to happen." She grinned slightly. "Then again, what about this little family is normal?"  
  
Padme laughed shortly, with tears coming through her voice. "I feel like if I start to get upset now, I'll crumble into a blubbering mess. I have speeches to write, children to take care of, a family I barely see and a husband who's not unalike to a time bomb."  
  
Sabe smiled a little. "Feel any better?"  
  
Padme smiled too, this time genuinely. "Much, thank you."  
  
"I know just what will cheer you up! Those kids able to go out?"  
  
Padme looked at her, drying the tears from her eyes. "I guess so. Why?"  
  
"Because we are doing what all girls must do when they are upset. We're going shopping!"  
  
---  
  
"How's he doing?"  
  
The healer sighed. "Good, considering. I imagine letting it out, as it were, gave him a sense of release."  
  
"And that's a good thing." Obi-Wan stated uncertainly.  
  
"It is," the young healer replied, "And he seems to be responding well to this."  
  
"This?"  
  
"Writing. And drawing. Just creativity in general, it does patients with .psychological problems to get how they feel out in a way they're comfortable with. He's been writing for the last few minutes at least. This helps us see how they're feeling and we can act accordingly."  
  
"Like signs?"  
  
She nodded. "Kind of, more like an interpretation of how they feel. It is greatly helpful."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded; half understanding at least, which to be fair is more than usual with the usual technical jargon that healers have a tendency to use.  
  
"I'd like to see him."  
  
The healer nodded, "As you please."  
  
---  
  
'I'm dying.  
  
I've been dying for a long time, for as long as I can remember. Memories haunting my life like ghosts of premature death.  
  
I don't understand anymore, I can't. Did I ever? I'm not sure. I'm never sure. How can I be sure? I don't understand and no one will explain it to me, help me understand!  
  
If there is blood on your hands, but it's not real, how do you clean it? How are you ever normal?  
  
What is normal?  
  
Is normal drowning the second you close your eyes, dying when you see hands, murderess hands and then you realise, they're your hands and it leaves you feeling dirty?  
  
I'm scared.  
  
Frightened of drowning in the river of blood, my own, mom's, everyone that's on these hands and I'm getting deeper and I can't breathe.  
  
Maybe if I could remember how it got here, how I got here I would understand. But no one will tell me, no one talks to me they just coddle me, like I'm so fragile, a baby. I'm not.  
  
I'm just dying.  
  
But maybe someone will take my heart and convince it to beat.  
  
Maybe.'  
  
---  
  
"What are you writing?"  
  
Anakin looked up to see his master looking at him. He was sitting on a little comfy chair that one of the healers must have brought in for him. His legs were tucked under him, his pale arms, the braid round his wrist, and.  
  
"Is that a bacta patch?"  
  
Anakin looked down and nodded.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Anakin just shrugged, closing the book. The patch went right up his arm, like a knife wound  
  
(.or a lightsaber wound.)  
  
Would cause.  
  
"Anakin," he said, now kneeling affront of him. "What. Happened."  
  
All he did was look at the patch and shrug. "I don't know."  
  
"Wounds don't just appear."  
  
Anakin looked him in the eyes defiantly, and practically yelled, "This one did!" He leant his head back on the chair, closing his eyes.  
  
"When?"  
  
Back in the soft whisper that had become his voice, "Last night. I woke up, it was there."  
  
Obi-Wan sighed. It was dangerous for him to even be alone while sleeping apparently. "Alright. It's alright."  
  
He looked into Obi-Wans eyes again, but more solemnly than before. "I didn't do it." "It must have been in your sleep, that's nothing to be-"  
  
"I didn't do it."  
  
"Well if you didn't, then who did?"  
  
Anakin shut his eyes again, leaning back on the chair. "I told you he'd come, but you didn't listen."  
  
"Who'd."  
  
"And now I might die again."  
  
"He's dead." Said Obi-Wan, suddenly getting it. "He can't com back."  
  
"He never left."  
  
"Anakin, he's dead, you seen that, the council seen that, you don't need to be scared."  
  
"Too late."  
  
Obi-Wan had no idea what to say to that.  
  
--- 


	6. Family

Wow, I actually did this on deadline! Amazing!  
  
---  
  
To the average outsider, the Jedi Temple was a foreboding rock of solidity. White, sturdy, strong and powerful, if purity had a colour, it would be white. Its huge towers shadowed its place on Coruscant and are an unavoidable statement of the mark of the Jedi in the Republic.  
  
It didn't matter how many times Padme seen it, the Jedi Temple always took her breath away. Although still under heavy repair, its fourth spire only held up by a frame, it still amazed her in beauty. It was alive, with Jedi coming in and out consistently. Especially with their diminished numbers, it was wonderful to see many in the heart of the Republic.  
  
As Padme's air taxi came to the front guest entrance, she could see some of the initiates playing. It made her smile, seeing seven and eight year olds so oblivious to what had happened. The taxi stopped, and lifting the twins out, she noticed something peculiar. Some of the children had braids.  
  
"They just keep getting younger," a voice came from her left.  
  
Padme looked to see a Knight in her mid thirties. She had blonde hair, flashing blue eyes and a wry grin. She had her hands on her hips, and her hair tied into a messy ponytail. And perhaps, most peculiar of all, she seemed to know Padme. Not Queen Amidala, Senator Amidala or Candidate for Supreme Chancellor Amidala, just Padme Skywalker.  
  
Padme paid the driver, and pulled the wondering Luke back towards her. "They do seem a little young, umm, ."  
  
The woman laughed, "I'm sorry, I thought Obi-Wan had told you I'd be meeting you because of the whole 'Food Poisoning' fiasco, which by the way, he was the one cooking. And he wonders why I never let him!"  
  
"Oh! Yes! You're Siri?" Padme asked. Obi-Wan was supposed to meet them but had called this morning, saying he's picked up a 24 hour bug, and a friend would meet her and the twins instead.  
  
"One and only," she smiled. "This the terrible twins?"  
  
Padme smiled, not just at the comment but also at the incredulous look on Leia's face, and the huffy one on Luke's, and nodded.  
  
"This way, then," she commented and started walking.  
  
Padme took her children's hands and followed Siri through the to the medical ward again.  
  
A few moments, and a few times of pulling Luke out of doorways and corridors, they were outside the door when Padme motioned for them to stop. She took the two children in front of her, and knelt down.  
  
"When we go in, I'm going to need you to be quiet, okay? No running around, no sneaking off and no yelling." The twins nodded, looking very serious. Well, as serious as toddlers could. Then again, it wouldn't be long before they were no longer toddlers.  
  
"I want you to see your Daddy, as much as I'm sure you want to see him, but he's not well right now, and you don't want to make him worse."  
  
"No," they both answered softly and simultaneously.  
  
"I know you wouldn't," she said, taking each of their hands and nodding to Siri.  
  
Siri opened the door, and called over to the young man sitting on the chair, "Look who has visitors," she smiled, opening the door full.  
  
Anakin was sitting on the chair by the window again, looking out at the outside world. He looked up as Padme entered, his eyes lighting in the mid- afternoon sunlight. Then he caught a glimpse of the children, then looked up at Padme, screwing his face up in the way that crinkled his brow, something the represented confusion.  
  
"What do I say?"  
  
---  
  
When he first saw the two children, his thoughts were that they looked like a miniature version of their parents. The girls deep brown eyes, her slightly curled hair and the way she carried herself screamed the confidence of her mother. The boy, on the other hand, hand blonde hair, and - Force, are those my eyes? - blue eyes and he had an aura of calm shyness about him. His mind went blank, and he was unsure of what he could say, so he simply asked his wife.  
  
Padme smiled, her natural radiance flowing through. "Well, what-"  
  
Two things about the next moment startled him. One was the young girl cocking her head to one side, and commenting, "Hello's a good start." And the second was Padme's eyes flaring and sternly replying "Leia!" He'd never seen Padme react like that before. Then again, he's never seen a three year old - or was it two? - come out with a comment like that.  
  
"Smart little thing, aren't you?" It'd come so naturally to respond in kind. It may have been to a child, but it felt right, it felt like being him, he wanted so badly to be himself.  
  
The comment obviously annoyed the little girl, who cuddled close to her mother. Padme picked the little girl over, and sat on the bed about a meter away from her husband. "In case you missed it, this is Leia," she motioned to the child on her lap, "and this is Luke." She smoothed down the little boy on the floors hair, and he just regarded his father with curious eyes.  
  
Anakin smiled very gently at his children. He'd always wanted them, and now here they were. And he was determined to make the most of his time with them before.no, he wouldn't think of it now; he had to see his babies.  
  
"Hello," the boy seemingly whispered.  
  
Anakin couldn't help but smile about the boy's play on his sisters' words. "Hi,"  
  
Luke's eyes seemed to get huge for a moment, these beautiful orbs of blue, as if he was trying to decide something. A moment later, he waddled over to his father and sat himself at the bottom of the chair, arms stretched.  
  
"Luke, come on," Padme put out a hand for her son, "Not now, sweetheart, come back over to mommy." She implored.  
  
But he just picked up the small boy and sat him on his knee, where he just cuddled up to him for a moment. Then he picked his tiny head up, not removing his miniscule arms from his fathers' waist, he looked his sister in the eye, with a clear message.  
  
Are you coming?  
  
---  
  
Padme watched in fascination as her son decided to use his father as a cushion. She could see Ani smile, as the boy made himself comfortable. Seemingly comfortable now, he looked across to Leia, who was watching with a graceful stillness from her mothers lap. Then Leia looked up to her mother for a moment, and climbed off her knee, again trying to walk over to father, but she didn't sit at the bottom of the chair when she reached it, she just attempted to climb up her fathers' leg.  
  
"Hey, hey, hey," Padme said, coming the few steps to where her daughter was attempting to climb. She picked Leia up, who then seemed to start threatening to cry.  
  
"Give her here," Anakin said gently, attempting to signal with his free arm. It must have been a little difficult, as Luke seemed fascinated by the padawan braid on Anakins' wrist.  
  
"Sure?"  
  
Anakin nodded, and Padme placed the little girl opposite her brother, who then attempted to get comfortable also, and in the process put her head on the bacta patch, and Anakin writhed a little.  
  
"Watch Daddy's sore arm, honey." Padme said, lifting her head to Anakin's chest, where she finally seemed half comfortable, joining her brother in the attempt at figuring out what strange hairy creature was round their fathers wrist.  
  
Padme just smiled at that, and to her happy surprise, Anakin smiled with her, as she decided to sit on he arm of the chair, and play with her daughters' hair.  
  
And in that moment, a family was born.  
  
---  
  
I'm being nice this time, no cliffie. 


	7. Double Trouble

I wrote this one quickly didn't I? I can't believe I wrote something early! *Smiles*  
  
--- "You're getting it everywhere!"  
  
Padme was between laughing and scolding, as Anakin attempted for the third time to give Luke some of his yoghurt and for the third time, got the yoghurt all over Luke's clothes. Of course, the twins thought this was hilarious, and were almost red in the face with laughing.  
  
Padme just shook her head and smiled, and in the middle of what seemed like a galactic war between the yoghurt and the infant's mouth, Anakin couldn't help but smile a little too.  
  
"This isn't easy!" he grumbled, has his son kept laughing and the yoghurt kept spilling, and this time he managed to get some on Leia, who was centimetres way on her mothers lap and not happy at all when stray yoghurt hit her arm, which she proudly wiped on her brother, who then attempted to wipe it back.  
  
"Hey!" Padme said, "Stop being spiteful, both of you!"  
  
But the twins kept going until both twins tumbled off their father. They sat on the floor for a moment, just lying there, stunned. Luke's tears where the first to break, and as if taking permission, Leia started wailing along too.  
  
Siri, who'd been outside had heard the wailing and came in. Seeing the scene before her, Guami Yoghurt everywhere, two wailing children on the floor and a kneeling mother fussing over them, she could only stare and mutter something about "It could only be Skywalker's," and went to see if she could help the young mother.  
  
"I'm sorry, they were fighting...and they slipped." Anakin began; beginning to look a little distressed himself.  
  
"Oh, they're toddlers," Padme grinned, gladly taking a tissue from Siri and trying to clean the children up, "They do nothing but fall."  
  
"Should have a warning label," Siri said, rolling her eyes and doing her best to help clean up the fidgety girl. She wasn't the most maternal woman alive, but who would have thought killing sith lords would be easier than taking care of twin toddlers? She wouldn't have.  
  
"Come on, lets get you two home before you blow up the Temple," Padme smiled, at the two now mostly cleaned up but sniffley twins.  
  
"I'll take them to the speeder," her unspoken message was clear, giving the young couple a minute alone, as she took both relatively settled children in her arms.  
  
"That went well," Anakin whispered softly, as Siri shut the door. "I know you don't think so," Padme said softly. She sat gently where her children had sat minutes before, and took his hands in hers. "But it did."  
  
"Yeah, I even gave them something," He sighed, putting his head on her shoulder, "Bruises."  
  
"They're toddlers, they get bruises all the time!" She shook her head, "Force, when Luke started walking, he broke everything in sight, cuts and bruises everywhere!" she smiled suddenly, "He's so much like you, you know."  
  
"Sure," he said ruefully, "Mister Destruction, that's me."  
  
"I didn't mean that,"  
  
"Then what did you mean?"  
  
"I mean." she grinned to herself, "He's so curious about everything. He's always wondering off to looking in this and that. Not to mention the obsession - yes, my three year old has an obsession! - flying. He sees a ship or a scoot, and immediately he wants near it. That's what I meant."  
  
"I can see you in Leia," he said softly.  
  
"Oh yes, well she's a bossy little miss, I'll give her that. Never holds back exactly what she thinks." Padme rolled her eyes.  
  
"Willing to speak out is something to be admired, the regal presence that can fill a room."  
  
He would have said more, but Padme cut him off with a kiss.  
  
---  
  
"How are feeling?" Obi-Wans' voice came across the room, and the pre-dusk light lit the room and its shadowy figure.  
  
"Okay." Anakin whispered, then crinkled his brow, "Where were you?"  
  
"Stomach bug. I'm fine now though," He sat on the chair opposite the bed where Anakin was lying reading. "I imagine Siri with toddlers was an interesting sight though," he grinned.  
  
"Yeah," he smiled faintly.  
  
"Reading?"  
  
"Mmhmm."  
  
"Where'd you get the book?"  
  
"Padme brought it."  
  
"And I'm supposed to be the one spoiling you," he muttered, "I'll leave you in peace. Would you like me to close the curtains?"  
  
Anakin shook his head, "I like to look at the stars,"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, but shivered, feeling a cold breeze down his spine. He supposed the window was open, and shut the door.  
  
Anakin pulled the blanket up over him, "I wondered when you'd start this," Anakin commented to the empty room. "It's very predictable."  
  
Then he turned towards the wall, and began to read again, seemingly not worried that the window wasn't open, or that he was not alone.  
  
----  
  
Well I think I deserve a cliffhanger for writing this so quickly. Thank you for all the wonderful comments, which I love, I'm happy you're enjoying it. 


	8. Parenting and Nightmares

This one is going to be quite long, as the next ones will be a little small. I start work next week, and have College for two days next week also, so that's why. This is dedicated to Rogue_49 and Halcyon03 and thier fic Against Fate (), who constantly entertains me with this wonderful story.  
  
---  
  
Padme yawned, trying to think of another paragraph to her campaign speech. Being a working mother on her own was difficult, especially with her running for Chancellor.  
  
But the day had been good, it was wonderful to see her family coming together. The twins had mostly behaved themselves on the way home, and were really too tired to play up most of the night, watching some holovids and then going to bed. She still felt drained from the nights previous, she was very glad of this time to work on one of her speeches. She had a big senatorial meeting for the campaigns tomorrow, and she needed to finish this.  
  
'Beep. Beep. Beep.'  
  
"What on." Padme started, till she noticed it was just her holocorder signalling that someone was calling her. She reached over and activated it, and to her delight, Jobal Naberrie lit up the screen, smiling gently at her daughter.  
  
"Mother! This is unexpected," she commented, smiling.  
  
Her mother smiled playfully, "I can't call my baby girl now?"  
  
"Oh, of course you can!" Padme corrected.  
  
Jobal's smile was replaced with a frown that slightly crinkled her forehead, "Are you alright, dear? You like tired,"  
  
Padme gace a little smile of her own, "You weren't tired when you had to look after Sola and I when we were Luke and Leia's age?"  
  
"Yes." Her mother considered, "But I was not running for Chancellor of the Republic also."  
  
'So that's what this is about,' Padme thought. 'Sola must of told her.' She loved her big sister but sometimes the woman had a mouth the size of a space freighter.  
  
"No, that is not why I called." Her mother stated, matter-of-factly.  
  
'How did she.'  
  
"I'm your mother, Padme Amidala, I gave birth to you!" She straightened slightly. "I should be insulted if I could not read your face like a book!"  
  
Padme just let out a silent laugh at her mother, "I know, Mom, I know." She sobered a little. "And I want to make a difference. I always have. As chancellor, I have a better shot at changing this universe, of fixing the damage the empire caused."  
  
"I know, I know," she said, getting that long suffering look about her, just like the one Dad would get when she'd tell him to get his feet of the table for hundredth time. "And I am proud of you for this. But I worry."  
  
"I have been preparing for being Chancellor for a long time." Padme pointed out.  
  
"Yes," her mother said, "But were you preparing for being a mother and wife also?"  
  
'That's the 60 million credit question,' she thought instead opting to be subtler. "Sola told you I took the twins to see him, then?"  
  
Her mother nodded.  
  
"He was fine with them, he is their father." Padme told her, a touch of defiance in her tone.  
  
"I never implied he would be anything other than a good father, Padme." Jobal commented. "I just worry for you, for all of you, him included. I simply want to ask how he was."  
  
'Force, my mothers got more insight into me than one of Master Yoda's mind probes could bring out!' she thought.  
  
"He's much better." She hesitated, "I'm.thinking of asking if I can have him home."  
  
"You are doing it again," her mother scolded lightly.  
  
"Doing what?"  
  
"Taking on too much! It was the same when you were little, taking part in relief programs, a full day of schooling and extra work. It is happening all over again, sweetheart." Her mother sighed, "It will be difficult enough being a mother, a wife and looking out for the galaxy without looking after someone who is ill."  
  
Padme nodded, "I am used to it,"  
  
"You are also tired," and her mother looked behind her, then whispered, "And getting bags."  
  
Padme let out a giggle, "Hazard of the job,"  
  
"Well not tonight. You are going to go to bed right now." Her mother said, lifting her chin.  
  
"Mom." Padme dragged out the word, "I have to finish this speech."  
  
"Finish it in the morning!"  
  
Padme sighed. Her mother had a point, she could finish it in the morning. It would probably not come out so well in now anyway.  
  
"Alright. Goodnight mom."  
  
---  
  
Padme awoke with a start, looking at the clock. It was just past one am standard, and she had only had about two hours sleep. Regaining her senses slightly, and wondering what had woken her, she could hear crying. 'Luke,' she thought. She made her way to the twins' room, where the little boy was sitting up, crying for his mother. She gathered the infant her arms, and rubbed his teary eyes, sparing a look for his sister, who was sound asleep.  
  
"You have a nightmare, honey? Hmm?" she said, letting the little boy out of her embrace.  
  
He nodded, still drying his eyes, and shivering.  
  
"What about?" She remembered Anakins' nightmares, the horrible premonitions of things to come that no one took heed of. He had always said getting them out into the open felt better, a practice she had decided to repeat on their children.  
  
He shook his head, "I don't know. It was really dark and I couldn't see anything. And I was lying on the ground and it was hard and cold and I was cold and really scared." He snuggled up to his mother. "It was so real, mommy!"  
  
// "It was so real, Padme."//  
  
She shook off the memory, and focussed on her son, "I know, but they aren't and you just need to remember that."  
  
He swallowed loudly, "Can you stay with me?"  
  
Padme nodded, climbing under the sheets with her son, and cuddled up to him. She shivered down her spine and she just couldn't shake that horrible feeling.  
  
---  
  
"How could this have happened?" Obi-Wan explained, nearing panic.  
  
"This isn't a prison, we were not expecting him to leave," stuttered the assistant in the med centre.  
  
"He just got up and left?" Obi-wan commented incredulously.  
  
"It appears so."  
  
"Don't you have twenty four hour monitoring?"  
  
"Well, yes," The humanoid commented. "But not when our watchers are put to sleep with the force!"  
  
"And Anakin did this, I suppose!" he said.  
  
"It points that way."  
  
Obi-Wan fumed. Anakin wouldn't have the strength; he was too tired to go off doing this. But that nagging thought entered his mind:  
  
What if he did?  
  
'No,' Obi-Wan thought, 'There's something not right about this.'  
  
"Calm, you will be, Master Kenobi," Master Yaddles' soft voice rang through the room. Being one of Master Yoda's species, but much younger, Master Yaddle gave out a healing, compassionate and calming presence. She could be found in the med centre often because of this. With the council devided, and Anakins' (not to mention his) current state of mind, Yaddle was a wise choice.  
  
"I am trying master, but even for Anakin, this doesn't ring true."  
  
"Then investigate further, we must."  
  
---  
  
"The senate recognises Senator Amidala from Naboo," Acting Chancellor Bail Organa said with a smile. Although technically, they were opponents, Bail had a deep respect and sisterly love for the Senator. She was a friend, a friend who deserved the position, and he would be happy for her if she achieved it.  
  
'She looks tired,' he thought, making a mental note of approaching her after the session ended.  
  
"Fellow Senators," Amidala began. "I think that we can all agree that what has happened to this Republic has been a terrible and horrible tragedy."  
  
There where mummers of agreement, and she had everyone's attention now.  
  
"But we have never been a Galaxy to live in the past. We have always looked to the future, a bright future! We must make it so, as we are the only ones that can bring order back, to build again."  
  
There was a round of cheers and some clapping.  
  
"We can dry the tears this has cost us, we can being peace to those whose blood, whose friends and families blood, has been spilt all to often. We will rise again, and make this Republic a safer and better place to be. I believe this, I truly do. I have the ability to lead this, as do my opponents." She bobbed her head at Bail, "But it is us who must choose to make this difference. Life is choice, and I know we will make the right one! This is not about vengeance, this is about life, preserving and cherishing it with all we have! We can be strong, again. All we have to do is believe in ourselves, and we will achieve."  
  
---  
  
"Now that was something," Bail said, as he approached her outside her office.  
  
"Bail," she greeted.  
  
"I haven't heard an applause like that in years."  
  
"Actually, it was rather short. I didn't have time to finish it."  
  
"Trouble?"  
  
"Oh, just a little nightmares. Children," she shrugged. "I was going to finish it this morning but I kept getting weird calls. Audio, no visual, and it just seemed to be breathing, nothing else."  
  
"How odd."  
  
"I thought so." Padme frowned. "I'm just glad it didn't wake the twins."  
  
"How are Leia and Luke?"  
  
"Fine," she commented gently. "I took them to see their father yesterday."  
  
"Mmm."  
  
There was a silence for a moment and Padme asked how Sache was.  
  
"She is fine, working with the relief on some of the closer planets to Alderaan."  
  
Padme nodded, "I was so happy to hear you were marrying."  
  
Bail smiled, "Good news travels fast."  
  
"Indeed," Padme yawned, then blushed "Sorry."  
  
"Milady?" Dorme asked as she went into the office.  
  
"Yes,"  
  
"There is a call for you,"  
  
"I'll take it here."  
  
Padme put it on and again she could hear nothing. "Who is this?!" she commented, irritated. The caller hung up and Padme banged the table in frustration.  
  
"Dorme," Bails voice broke in, "Can you place where that call was from?" 'Of course, why didn't I think of that?' Padme thought.  
  
They waited for a moment till Dorme looked up, "It came from inside the Jedi Temple, Milady."  
  
"Thank you Dorme." She reached for her coat, and placed it on. "Order me a taxi, please."  
  
Dorme went back to her outer office, and Bail turned to Padme "Going somewhere?"  
  
"The temple," Padme said, determined. "I'm going to get some answers." 


	9. Like Father, Like Son

Its not as short as I thought but here we go anyway. Some people are going to have some catching up to do!  
  
---  
  
"Ow.."  
  
Anakin moaned slightly, trying to focus his eyes, but all he could see was darkness. The never-ending darkness that had been there every time he shut his eyes, and now no matter which he did, it was there, chilling him the bone. Or maybe cold stone floor he was lying on was doing that just fine. Perhaps a little of both.  
  
Feeling a little less disoriented, he questioned his surroundings. He's felt the dark side presence in his room last night, and after a few minutes after that there was nothing, just a huge blank.  
  
He reached out a hand to feel his shadowed surroundings, struggling to keep his uppity stomach from jumping. Fear was something he's gotten used to in recent years, why did it still feel like a cold, death grip on him? There was no answer and he hadn't been expecting one either, so he wasn't so disappointed.  
  
There was something that felt like a brick wall behind him, judging by the crevices and solidity of it. He bought one foot round in an effort to stand up, but his legs buckled almost immediately as dizziness filled him, making his stomach lurch and heave.  
  
He collapsed in an unceremonious heap against the would-be wall, and tried to calm down. He shut his eyes and for the first time in weeks, attempted to feel through the force. He shivered as he hit a large dark presence that made him physically and mentally quiver slightly.  
  
'Okay, Skywalker, think!'  
  
He could almost hear Obi-Wan's voice commenting that it would be easier to being universal peace than to get him to think about something before doing it. He choked down a small laugh and struggled against the tears threatening his eyes. Not now!  
  
What does the hunter do when it captures its prey? Kills it would have been the obvious answer. Strike that out, he wasn't dead, not yet anyway.  
  
So what was he up to?  
  
Either way, he had to find a way out of here. He tried gently to find Padme's presence through the force. Finding the etching of an angel through the millions of people shouldn't have been hard and he called to her.  
  
---  
  
"Oh!"  
  
"Are you alright, my lady?"  
  
Padme looked up to see Dorme's worried face looking at her. It was a valid question, considering the odd shiver she'd just felt. It was a hot taxi, after all. This was so completely odd, this shiver; she'd only ever felt it perhaps once, a long time ago, a lifetime in fact.  
  
Not since Naboo.  
  
She wondered.  
  
'Ani?'  
  
---  
  
As soon as he felt Padme's presence answer, it was like a lock down happened. He could barely feel anything, like someone had just shoved a wall up between him and the force. He could still feel it, just not anyone.could he? The was a slight very small presence he could just about see.  
  
He tried to reach it; the evasiveness of it seemed almost childlike. Running away from the person that was "It" if you like.  
  
It felt so useless.  
  
---  
  
"Oh, shush."  
  
Sola tried shushing her nephew who had started screaming his head off moments before. She was a mother, she understood that children cried. Everyone cries, sometimes. But he'd eaten, been changed, been held and had been sleeping quietly. She couldn't understand what was wrong.  
  
"You are not a happy baby, are you?" She bounced him slightly, only to have him throw up on her. "Ooh, are you sicky? Is that what's wrong?"  
  
She set him down, to get cleaned up, thinking that would help him a little. But it didn't. When she came back in, the toddler was still lying in bed screaming. Even Leia, who was opposite him, was starting to look upset.  
  
"Do you miss your mommy? Is that it?" She picked the twins up, bringing them into the front room, Leia was already sniffling and Luke was still screaming.  
  
"She'll be back soon," she said, sitting them on the sofa together, hoping they'd feel better. But seemingly not.  
  
And to top it all off, the door knocked. It was probably Padme, or so she hoped. But who else would it be?  
  
She looked to the twins and smiled.  
  
"See? That's your mommy!"  
  
---  
  
"I am forced to agree, Master Yaddle!" Padme told her, upon hearing the situation. She tried to keep the respect in her voice, after hearing that out of the council, Yaddle had been for his training, and it meant they had got on. Surely she knew this, then. "Anakin wouldn't get up and leave of his accord."  
  
"Mmm." Siri, who had joined the investigation, commented.  
  
Them was referring to Obi-Wan, who was still looking around the room, as the three of them sat in the waiting area. He was determined to find something - Anything! - that showed that Anakin didn't just leave.  
  
Although Padme didn't know which to hope for. If he'd just left, in his current state of mind, anything could happen but if someone took him, the same applied.  
  
"Believe this, I do not want to." Yaddle commented. "But, evidence? There is none!" The fact she sounded a little distressed was a little comforting, at least she believed there was a chance of it.  
  
Then again, all of them probably looked distressed. Even Siri, who was rumoured to be unflappable. She even looked a little pale.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
Siri looked up at her with a faint wry grin, "Tired."  
  
"Aren't we all?"  
  
At that moment, Obi-Wan came into the room holding something in his hand, "I found something." He held it out, and Anakin's braid lay crumpled in his hands.  
  
"His padawan braid," Siri stated.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. "This meant a lot to him, he wouldn't have left without it." He looked at Master Yaddle. "I'm sure of it."  
  
The Master nodded, "Puzzling, it is. But truth."  
  
"Who would have taken him?" Padme asked no one in particular.  
  
Siri shrugged, "I suppose someone imperial?"  
  
"Or Palpatine himself." Obi-Wan stated grimly.  
  
"But he's dead!" Padme exclaimed. "Tell me he's dead." she added off their looks.  
  
"He kept saying he was coming and I didn't listen." Obi-Wan said, sitting on the chair closest.  
  
"No one would have." Padme said gently.  
  
"And feeling sorry for yourdelf won't help!" Siri commented, but her voice lurched hoarsly at the end.  
  
Obi-Wan looked up at her. "You alright?"  
  
"Yes!" She boomed back.  
  
"Disturbing, this turn of events is." Master Yaddle commented to clear the air, the wrinkled a brow. "Perhaps linked, to your strange calls, they are, Senator."  
  
"Maybe," Padme allowed, "But they have Anakin, or him, or whatever. What would they want from me?"  
  
Padme looked up at Obi-Wan and recognition hit their eyes, and Padme filled with panic.  
  
"The twins!"  
  
---  
  
I know it's a little short, but as I said, it's a two parter. 


	10. Leia Scully?

Second Part Done.  
  
Dedicated to Darth_Leia_6669.  
  
Look out for Leia Scully, lol!  
  
---  
  
"Sola!"  
  
Padme was the first to spot the door ajar, and the first to run towards it, almost catching her gown on the hinges of the speeder in her hurry. Obi-Wan was the next out, just jumping over the speeders door, leaving Siri alone in the drivers seat. She stopped momentarily, almost as if to playfully scold them, but thought better of it considering the situation.  
  
Padme's first instinct when she ran through the door was to find her children. But the first thing she saw was Sola lying on the couch, which made her think that she wouldn't be very successful if looking for them here.  
  
"Sola." she went to her sisters' aid, as Obi-Wan entered the front room, witnessing the two sisters. Padme turned quickly as she heard the footsteps; "There is ice in the fridge and a tea towel over there. Please get them."  
  
She tried to sit her older sister in a sitting position. Sola was still unconscious, but the only harm was a few bruises where she fell and bump on the middle of her head. Her hair had some out and had tumbled across her shoulders, and it made the two girls look even more similar. Obi-Wan passed Padme the towel and she pressed it against the blood.  
  
"The twins?" she asked.  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head, "I don't see them."  
  
Padme swore, not something she did often, and tried to revive her sister. "They do anything to my babies."  
  
Siri had been standing in the doorway watching the scene, "I'll call Med, let them know we're coming."  
  
Obi-Wan lifted the unconscious woman as Padme took a look at the carnage in her front room. She wouldn't forget this.  
  
---  
  
The dark is a frightening thing. Shadows, blindness, monsters and fear live in the dark.  
  
'No,' Leia chided herself, 'There are no monsters. Mom said so.'  
  
// "There aren't monsters the way you think, Leia. There are monsters, but they are people. The only monsters here are the ones inside everyday people.// Leia cherished the time with her mother. At four, well almost, the girl could understand how fragile the new world her mother had played a part in creating was. It put her and mom and Luke in danger, from the people that liked the world the way it was. But nothing had ever happened to them, her mother was very protective over her and her brother.  
  
Until now, that is.  
  
Leia huffed, straightened her shoulders and reviewed her situation. She was in a dark room, with an unconscious brother, force knows where and her mom didn't know. She decided to try and wake Luke up, thinking maybe together they could open the lock. At such a young age, their ability to control their powers fluctuated wildly.  
  
"Luke," she nudged. "Luke!"  
  
"Hmm...what?" he seemed opening hi eyes at just a crack.  
  
"You gotta wake up!"  
  
"I'm 'wake,"  
  
"Okay then you gotta know we're in a real dark room, in the middle of no where with no one to help."  
  
Luke scrunched his eyebrows, "You're really a morning person,"  
  
"Mom'll be worried! And I don't know where we are," she said, sounding very unhappy. "And I have a bad feeling about this."  
  
"What do we do?" he said, attempting a down-to-business tone that sounded rather funny on a toddler.  
  
"Well getting' out of here's a start!" she looked over to where the page light from a dark window far above her glanced on the door. "Think we can break the lock?"  
  
Luke lifted his chin defiantly, "We can try!"  
  
---  
  
Padme came in to the waiting room.  
  
It was the second time she's came into a hospital waiting room that day, and that was not a good thing. She never wanted to be in one of these things again! Obi-Wan and Siri was sitting in the waiting room when Padme came in.  
  
"How is she?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
"Bants' going to come around in a minute. I'm just so glad they let her come here."  
  
"It seemed proper." Then he cocked his head to Siri. "Isn't she supposed to be on rest?"  
  
"Supposed to be. But you know Bant."  
  
The door opened and the chief of medicine came through. She shut the door, and immediately sat opposite the three.  
  
"You're sister will be fine, Senator Skywalker. Just a knock to the end."  
  
Padme smiled, "Thank you."  
  
"As for the children, there were no signs of where they could have gone on her, no particular weapons type. I suggest looking in your apartment."  
  
"Thank you." Padme and Obi-Wan said in unison, and the three got up.  
  
"Siri," Bant called and the girl went back.  
  
Obi-Wan thought it was a little odd, perhaps Siri was ill. But surely she would tell someone? He'd ask her when she came back to the speeder.the speeder keys!  
  
"I seem to have left the keys on the table, I won't be a moment." He said to Padme, who nodded.  
  
Obi-Wan dashed back inside; realising time was of the essence here. He went into the room and grabbed the keys.  
  
"Everything is happening right on schedule."  
  
Was that Bant?  
  
"So everything is according to plan?"  
  
That was Siri, he was sure! What were they talking about?  
  
"Working perfectly. Should see some results in less than a month now."  
  
This did not sound good at all.  
  
---  
  
Luke and Leia snaked along the corridor.  
  
Or attempted to.  
  
Toddlers were loud my nature.  
  
They turned a lot of corners but almost every corridor looked the same with the same doors. It wasn't until they reached a few corridors when Luke stopped.  
  
"We can't stop now!" Leia chided, her mini pigtails bobbing as she walked back to her brother.  
  
"Do you feel that?" Luke asked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Like a weird.connection."  
  
Leia rolled her eyes, "It's called the force, bantha brains."  
  
"No, not that. It feels closer than that.more connected." he trailed off.  
  
But Leia was already walking away, so Luke practically yelled his sisters name.  
  
"Way to go! You've probably just wakened the whole place up!" she huffed.  
  
"Leia.." he said.  
  
"What?" she said, irritated.  
  
"That weird connection?"  
  
"What about it?" she commented, cocking her head to one side.  
  
"I think I know what it is."  
  
"Then what is it so we can get going!"  
  
"I think.I think it's Dad."  
  
---  
  
Woo!  
  
A little late, but not too bad right? 


	11. Investigations

For anyone who doesn't know what Twirly Whirly is, it's a game I played when I was a kid where you spin round and round.  
  
Thanks to SJ for her help defining Luke and Leia. If they don't suck here, it's thanks to her advice.  
  
---  
  
The drive to the Naberrie (Or was it Skywalker?) home was a silent one. Padme was playing with her hands, obviously worried about her husband and children; Obi-Wan was deep in thought about the conversation he had over heard and what to do about it and Siri had her usual lack of enthusiasm about going over an apartment with a fine tooth comb.  
  
Upon reaching the destination, Padme was the first out. She was slower than she had been before, having feelings of hopelessness trying to creep their way in as she attempted to shut them out.  
  
"I'll take kitchen, if one of you can take the hall and the other the front room." Padme commented.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, "I'll do the front room if Siri's alright with taking the hall?"  
  
He looked to Siri, who apparently wasn't taking much notice of the conversation. "Siri," he said, loudly.  
  
"What?" she looked up, in obvious annoyance.  
  
Obi-Wan took a deep breath, and spoke slowly and clearly. "Can you take the hallway?"  
  
Siri lifted an eyebrow at his tone, "Sure, fine."  
  
Padme walked quickly up to the house, but Obi-Wan stayed behind for a moment. He needed to see what would happen.  
  
As Siri prepared to go up to the house, Obi-Wan called to her. "Siri? Can I talk to you for a minute?"  
  
She stood in front of him, cross armed. "No law against it."  
  
"What *is* wrong with you?" He said, obvious exasperation dripping through his voice.  
  
"Nothing!" She said, almost mimicking his tone.  
  
"Well something obviously is wrong with you, this isn't you!" Obi-Wan stated, shaking his head.  
  
"And what to sith makes you such an expert?"  
  
"I'd like to think that we're friends."  
  
"We are!"  
  
Obi-Wan threw his hands up, "Then why are you being so.so."  
  
"Me?" She said, sarcastically.  
  
"This isn't you!"  
  
"Isn't it? Just because we're friends, just because we've been in the same place for 30 years, just because slept together once, don't assume you know me!" she yelled though gritted teeth.  
  
Obi-Wan withdrew physically, "Is that what this is about? What happened on Alderaan?"  
  
"No." she said, sounding a little calmer.  
  
"Then I don't understand,"  
  
"No," she said, almost sadly, "You couldn't."  
  
"So try and explain it to me."  
  
"I can't," she said, in the same tone, "Too much has happened,"  
  
And with that she ran up to the house, leaving a very puzzled Obi-Wan behind.  
  
---  
  
Padme and Siri were already searching when Obi-Wan came up to the door. The rooms looked even worse than before, cushions everywhere and surfaces cleared off. Obi-Wan went into the living room to join the search when something on the floor caught his eye.  
  
"There's something here!" he called, and both Padme and Siri came in.  
  
He picked up the little dirty silver object. It was a skull, almost like a key ring yet it held no keys and much smaller. The eyes were deep red rubies and it wasn't any bigger than a thumbnail. There was the in-carved letters on the side too, "B.K."  
  
"I'm going to go out on a limb and say this isn't yours," Obi-Wan commented.  
  
Padme shook her head, "Any ideas?"  
  
Siri practically snatched it out of his hands, looked at it for a moment, and nodded.  
  
"Well?" Obi-Wan asked, the shrunk a little at the glare she gave him.  
  
"Blood Kings. Coruscant lower level gang, like to go around shooting people for the fun of it. Pretty much willing to work for anyone." She looked up at Padme. "Even Imperial."  
  
"So I guess that's our next stop." Padme stated.  
  
With her senatorial tone, I doubt even Master Yoda would have disagreed.  
  
---  
  
"What?" Leia commented.  
  
"You know, Dad?" Luke commented. "The one that looks like a really old me?"  
  
Leia rolled her eyes, "I know who Dad is, but what do you mean, he's the weird feeling?"  
  
"I don't know. He just is!"  
  
"Well, where?"  
  
"Where what?"  
  
"If he's a weird feeling, where is he? Is he here?" Leia said, in her 'its so obvious' voice.  
  
Luke thought for a minute and said, "I think so."  
  
"Then where?!" Leia said, getting a little annoyed.  
  
Luke turned for a minute, then turned back, then turned again, trying to define where the feeling was coming from, like Uncle Obi-Wan had showed him.  
  
"This is hardly the time for Twirly Whirly, Luke. I want to go home!" Leia complained.  
  
"This way!" he said, pointing to the passage way to their left.  
  
"You're sure?"  
  
"Yes!" Luke said, as his sister made her way along the corridor, "I think."  
  
Leia looked back at her brother with scolding eyes. Then made her way forward, making some muttered comment about how he had better be sure. They walked down till Luke stopped outside one of the metal doors in the complex. He reached at the door, putting his tiny hand on it, and tried to reach out into that energy field known as the force.  
  
---  
  
Anakin immediately felt the soft presence he'd been feeling trying to reach out. It was faint, but pure and familiar. Almost like a child's. Perhaps it was and in that case, he should be gentle.  
  
'Hello?'  
  
'Daddy?'  
  
'Luke?'  
  
What was a three year old doing here? How did he get here? Where was Padme? Was everyone all right? There were so many questions and yet seemingly, no answers.  
  
'Uh huh!'  
  
Start with the basics.  
  
'How did you get here?'  
  
'I don't know. We were home, and it was real scary and then we woke here and that was scarier.'  
  
'We?'  
  
'Me and Leia.'  
  
'Leia's here too?'  
  
'Yah huh.'  
  
Don't kids ever say a simple yes anymore?  
  
'Where's your mother?'  
  
'I don't know!'  
  
It sounded like the beginning of a very upset little boy, which was not a good thing at all and he couldn't do much from in here.  
  
'Luke, you must listen to me. When you got here, where you in a room like this one?'  
  
'Uh huh.'  
  
'...Then how did you get out?'  
  
'Used the force to open the lock.'  
  
'You can do that?'  
  
'Me and Leia, yeah. Uncle Obi-Wan taught us.'  
  
The pride coming from the little thing was quite adorable, and uncle Obi- Wan? This was a new and hilarious development.  
  
'Can you do the same to mine?'  
  
'Okay.'  
  
A few minutes later the door opened, revealing the two twins in their nightclothes. Leia was a little further up, but he could see had tiny pigtails on each side with little rose bands on them and little pink slippers with roses on too. She looked very Nubian like that. Luke was just wearing a white top, and if he had been wearing slippers, he had lost them along the way.  
  
'Okay head,' he thought to himself, shielding around his children. 'You stop being so dizzy long enough for me to get my children out of here, I promise to give you as much rest as you want after.'  
  
Leia was the first to notice the footsteps coming down. Heavy footsteps at that, obviously male. She gave a little squeak and attempted a whisper.  
  
"Someone's coming!"  
  
---  
  
SIDENOTE  
  
Anakin saying Luke never said yes was inspired by a conversation I had with a guy from College. He said that I said "Uh huh" too much and why not just say "Yes."  
  
I wonder where my ff.net regulars have disappeared to? 


	12. Revelations

This one is a cliffie but I've been working hard all week so I deserve it.  
  
Enjoy!  
  
---  
  
"I may have a lead,"  
  
All eyes in the room turned to Obi-Wan as he joined Master Yaddle, Master Gallia, Padme and Siri in one of the new conference rooms. Apparently, the council had decided to sit up and take notice, judging by Master Gallia's presence in the investigation.  
  
Siri rolled her eyes. "Well, don't just stand there, spit it out."  
  
Obi-Wan didn't miss the look on Master Gallia's face at her old padawan's comment. It was a kind of 'There's a time for jokes, this is not it.' Look. One he'd given Anakin many times.  
  
Obi-Wan cleared his throat to relieve a bit of the tension. "I did a quick sweep of the initials inscribed and of this rather brutal group of people. They spend most of their time on the lower levels, handling certain substances-"  
  
"Oh fantastic," Padme muttered. "My babies are getting their first meeting with 'Mr Spice'."  
  
Obi-Wan spared her a look, and she waved him on.  
  
"As I was saying, they mostly deal with whoever will take them, and as Siri pointed out," he nodded in her direction, but as usual lately, she rolled her eyes, "They will work with imperials."  
  
"Did you find any suitable harbouring places that they frequent?" Master Gallia asked.  
  
"Several on the lower levels. There's not that heavy security, but enough to give a little trouble." Obi-Wan answered.  
  
"What do you suggest? We charge in to every one of them?" Siri's tone was fairly patronising.  
  
"The best thing to do would be an infiltration. Someone on the inside." Obi- Wan commented.  
  
"Good luck getting one of them in it for you!" Siri snorted.  
  
"No.I think someone inside would be better." Master Gallia conceded.  
  
Siri was suddenly aware of the amount of eyes on her.  
  
"What?!"  
  
---  
  
"Come on! Both of you, in here!"  
  
Anakin grabbed his sons' arm and Leia hurried back to them. Anakin shut the door as quickly as he could with as little noise as possible. He hugged both children up close, till he realised they were sniffling.  
  
"You must be quiet," he whispered.  
  
"I'm scared," Luke attempted a little unsuccessfully to whisper, glass tears forming in his eyes.  
  
"Me too," Leia whispered hoarsely.  
  
'Me three,' he thought, but didn't dare say it, lest upset them even more. Instead he just cuddled the twins closer, and sat out the footsteps coming ever nearer.  
  
---  
  
"Me? Oh no! I'm not going!"  
  
"You have the most experience." Master Gallia's gentle voice chimed in.  
  
"So let someone else get some!" Siri blew, walking out the door before anyone could stop her.  
  
Master Gallia shook her head.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry, Senator, this is not like her at all."  
  
---  
  
The footsteps seemed to halt for a moment and Anakin forgot to breathe. Finally, they began to shift again.  
  
"You two ready to go?" Anakin asked.  
  
The twins nodded, both putting on very brave faces. It was a prideful moment for the new father, as they dried any coming tears and prepared to get out of this mess.  
  
A few moments later, a Skywalker and two halves where slithering in the shadows, following what they hoped was a way out.  
  
---  
  
"Siri, will you wait!" Obi-Wan yelled at his old friend.  
  
Finally, when in the seemingly deserted gardens, Siri stopped. She stood still, and crossed her arms. It was time to get to the bottom of this.  
  
"Listen, I love playing detective as much as the next person but no when children are at stake!" Obi-Wan commented.  
  
"You don't get it at all." Siri shook her head.  
  
"Then tell me!" Obi-Wan commented, his wariness in full show here. "Are you that insensitive? Because I don't think you are!"  
  
"I'm not.."  
  
"Then for Siths sake, why won't you help?"  
  
"I want to!" Siri insisted, raw emotion in her eyes. "But I can't."  
  
"Why?" Obi-Wan scrunched an eyebrow, "Is someone stopping you?"  
  
"In..a way."  
  
"Is it Bant? Are you two in trouble?"  
  
"She's not. I may be." She sighed.  
  
'Now we are getting somewhere!' he thought.  
  
"But you are right. She would not let me go." She said.  
  
"Are you sick? Is it something to do with the schedule-"  
  
"You spied on us?!" Siri was incredulous. "How dare you!"  
  
"I was trying to help!"  
  
"It's none of your business!"  
  
"If it concerns Anakin, it's my business!"  
  
"For crying out loud, I love Anakin. Watching you two banter, it's amusing really. But the universe doesn't revolve around him - or you for that matter!"  
  
"Then what was it?"  
  
"Not that it's any of your business, but it would be detrimental for my health." She commented.  
  
"So you are sick."  
  
"There you go assuming!" Siri threw back at him. "Master Yoda would have your head on a platter!"  
  
Obi-Wan decided a gentler approach would be better. "I'm just worried for you. I know you, you love a bit of danger, and it must be something bad to keep you form going on this mission."  
  
"I'm not sick Obi-Wan!" She sighed, "Bant would never allow it for one reason and she would be quite correct in it. Going undercover in the lower levels is not a mission for a pregnant woman!"  
  
---  
  
Sory if it's not so good, was felling less inspired and busier.  
  
Feedback is always appreciated. 


	13. Neurotic Handmaidens

I know this is late and I'm really sorry but I needed to research the handmaidens before writing them.  
  
Sorry!  
  
---  
  
Siri's words almost echoed around them and there was a stunned silence between them.  
  
Siri stood her ground but didn't make eye contact. The revelation couldn't really have come at a worse time, they needed to talk but there was so much to do.  
  
"What?" Obi-Wan said hoarsely.  
  
"I think you heard me," Siri said, her voice barely above a whisper.  
  
"Damn right I heard you!" Obi-Wan said, "But.I.how? When? Where?"  
  
"Enough questions already," she looked at him for a second, and then moved to walk off again. "Just forget it."  
  
He reached out on her arm, his voice a little lower but no calmer. "Is it mine?"  
  
She turned round to face him, "Not everything is about you!"  
  
"It's a simple question Siri, one I have the right to ask." His eyes were almost hollow with too much emotion flowing at once.  
  
"What do you think I do, sleep with every guy I see?" she sounded irritated, then pulled her arm back and rubbed her eyes.  
  
"Siri-" he started.  
  
"Of course it is." She whispered softly.  
  
He nodded, and took a step back. There was silence again, and he seemed to shift back into responsibility. "Obviously, you can't take this mission then."  
  
"Force, Obi-Wan, I just told you in a little over six months you're going to be a Father and that's all you have to say?"  
  
"What do you want me to say?" Obi-Wan threw his arms up. "You dropped a bomb on me and now you want me to deal with this in a few minutes?"  
  
"Of course not!" She said, sounding a little fed up. "I'm still dealing with this!"  
  
"And apparently I can't ask questions about this.."  
  
"Ask as many as you like, just not now!"  
  
He nodded, "Well then the original problem is still there. We still need someone to do this mission."  
  
She nodded, and then smiled a little.  
  
"I may have an idea."  
  
---  
  
"My lady!"  
  
Padme opened blurry eyes, to find three slightly freaked out Handmaidens in front of her. Apparently she must have fallen asleep in her senate office, as she felt like she'd been sleeping on something that was rock hard.  
  
Now she knew why they were designed so uncomfortably: to keep senators from falling asleep.  
  
"You are due in senate in less than two hours, my lady!" Eirtae seemed genuinely distressed about this. Her blonde hair was up in a spilled over bob, and her regal purple gown made her look like she should be the one going into senate. Her blue eyes where crinkled with worry, as she handed her a cup of coffee.  
  
Of course, Rabe was already fiddling with her hair. "Two hours." she said, sounding even more distressed. "What will I do with your hair? It is a disaster!"  
  
"You can do it, Rabe." Padme said firmly. "Isn't that what you always tell me?"  
  
"Yes, milady." Rabe commented, her Nubian accent strong. Her dark hair was pulled back firmly, and her simple red dress seemed to indicate she had been in a hurry to get here. She immediately began attempting to do something with Padme's hair, which to Padme's admission, was bed hair.  
  
Sabe was the one that was staring at her, her similar features less noticeable with her long dark hair curling around her shoulders, and her auburn dress set off the look in her eyes.  
  
"What?" Padme says.  
  
"Working late?" there was a touch of patronisation in her tone, something she had come to expect from her best friend.  
  
"Sabe, hold this!" Rabe said, running off to get another comb.  
  
"I need to do something, Sabe!" Padme said.  
  
"I know," Sabe said. "But what can you do?"  
  
"Nothing," Padme said softly. "That's the trouble."  
  
---  
  
The footsteps had stopped, and they had lost him.  
  
Keeping to the shadows was a difficult task for a grown man, never mind toddlers but somehow they managed. In and out the twisting corridors, which seem like forever to him, so force knows what it felt to them.  
  
That was until he felt a little tug at his trousers.  
  
He looked down to see Luke, tugging him. He noticed the toddler looked tired, as well as afraid and upset. His blue eyes seemed to become twice their normal size as he looked up at his father.  
  
"Daddy, I'm really tired." He whispered.  
  
"I know," he whispered back, stroking the little boys hair. "I am too."  
  
"Couldn't we sit for a minute?" Leia asked, looking tired and irritable too.  
  
"Leia," he said softly. "There is no where."  
  
"Yes, there is." She pointed out a door on the far side. "Doors right there."  
  
"No noises." Luke said, hopefully.  
  
Anakin decided he might as well check it out. He was tired too, and could use a break. They went up to the side of the door, and sensing no one inside, the three crept in.  
  
It was pitch black inside, and the children clung to him till he found the light switch. Finally finding it, he switched it on, and gasped in surprise.  
  
They were in a weapons hold.  
  
---  
  
"Senator Organa to see you, my lady."  
  
Padme pushed on the intercom, "Send him in, Eirtae."  
  
She looked up to see her friend thanking Eirtae for letting him in, and he shut the door as she returned to her post.  
  
"Bail," she smiled as genuinely as she could.  
  
"Padme," he said, and then hugged her for a moment. "You shouldn't be here, not under these circumstances."  
  
He pulled away and she breathed deeply. "Need to keep busy, you know?"  
  
"I do," he said, "But this can't do anything for your health, or the twins."  
  
"I know that," she commented. "I just can't sit and figure this out right now." "Well, I am relieving you of duty."  
  
"Bail," she started.  
  
"I mean it." He said firmly, "I'll have all urgent things done and you," he took her shoulder and pushed her towards the door. "Are going to join your mother for an evening in."  
  
"My mother isn't on planet, Bail," she pointed out, as he handed her a coat.  
  
"She is now."  
  
---  
  
"Force, look at these things!"  
  
Apparently seeing a bunch of blaster guns had revived the two children who where now giggling and talking.  
  
Luke went to pick one up, and Anakin took it off him and set it on a shelf. "No. You're too young."  
  
Luke folded his arms in a sulk. "Then so's she!"  
  
He looked to see Leia was also holding one, which he promptly removed.  
  
How did Padme cope with these two?  
  
He decided to check out what else was here when he heard the twins playing with door. "Luke, Leia, will you come back here?"  
  
He received no answer, and turned to hear heavy footsteps coming back and neither child in sight. Almost frantic, he reached down for the blaster that he set down, to find it missing.  
  
At that moment, all he heard was a little girl scream and a blaster go off...  
  
---  
  
Special thanks to Holly for agreeing to stay on as beta. 


	14. The Capture

Yesh, what is with this extreme lateness? Sorry! Too many things at once.  
  
---  
  
"Thanks for this, Mom," Padme sighed.  
  
The young woman picked up another chocolate from the box. She and her mother had been sitting watching some weepy movie on the holo and eating chocolates for the past hour. She needed to admit, worrying wasn't going to change anything, she had to relax to be able to help Siri and Obi-Wan - who had sounded rather odd when he's asked her to meet them, wonder what's going on there? - in the morning, as they apparently had some plan.  
  
"Ah, it's my job" Jobal Naberrie smiled, patting her youngest daughters arm.  
  
"I don't think travelling all the way to Coruscant was in your job description, Mom." Padme pointed out.  
  
"I'm a mother," she rolled her eyes, "Going to the end of the galaxy is in my job description if it needs to be."  
  
Padme smiled genuinely, "I'm not sure what to say to that!"  
  
Her mother smiled back, and waved her hand, "Besides, seems like this entire family is on Coruscant at the moment!"  
  
"I suppose Dad's feeling left out?" Padme asked.  
  
Jobal grinned, "He'll get over it!"  
  
They turned back to the film in time for the kiss that ended the movie, and Jobal nudged her youngest daughter, a playful smile on her face.  
  
"I seem to have a vague memory of a certain twelve year old refusing to watch this, declaring it 'Pointless.'"  
  
"Mom!" Padme complained, "I was twelve!"  
  
"And already too grown for my liking," she pointed out.  
  
"Besides," Padme pointed out, not willing to be goaded, "It is corny."  
  
"Corny or Romantic?" her mother asked.  
  
"That's the 60 million credit question." Padme smiled, then looked round sharply.  
  
"Padme?" her mother asked, concern dripping through her accent.  
  
"I think there's someone out there." Padme whispered, and got up slowly to the kitchen, to reveal a blaster in one of the draws.  
  
"'Things aren't so bad, Mom,' she says, 'You worry too much, Mom' she says and there's a blaster in her kitchen drawer!" her mother muttered.  
  
Padme put her finger to her lips and did her best to sneak over the to the door. Trying not to catch her clothes on the many things also known as handles in the kitchen, she made it to the door, and came face to face with a cloaked person.  
  
---  
  
Obi-Wan had never liked the idea of not knowing where he was going, but given they were in the temple; he figured too much couldn't really go wrong.  
  
Then he took in the fact it was Siri that was leading him on this goose chase of an idea, he was just about ready to change his mind!  
  
They were walking through the corridors and she seemed to be checking random rooms, for no apparent reason. They walked along until she spotted a class outside on the gardens, and Siri sped up, and he too catch up with her. When they reached the class, he realised it was a levitation revision for some of the younger padawans, held by one of the older, Tysal Kann.  
  
Kann bowed respectively and stopped the class as the two Jedi approached, and the children scattered for a quick break.  
  
"Knight Tachi, Knight Kenobi," he rose, and smiled. "What a surprise."  
  
"Cut the pleasantries, Ty." Siri noted. "I need to borrow you."  
  
The three started walking, "What for?"  
  
"Undercover mission, kind of hush." Siri commented. "Infiltration."  
  
"A rescue mission may be involved also," Obi-Wan commented.  
  
"I'm in," he shrugged.  
  
"It's an infiltration of the Blood Kings, they seem to keeping a Jedi for imperials."  
  
"Who's the Jedi?"  
  
"Skywalker."  
  
That made him stop, surprise gushing through his voice. "The Anakin Skywalker?"  
  
"You make him sound like he's a different species." Siri commented.  
  
"Sometimes I wonder," Obi-Wan muttered.  
  
Siri shot him a small grin, the first in a while.  
  
"It's just - well the rumours ."  
  
"You should know better than to listen to idle gossip, Ty." Siri chided.  
  
"Besides," Obi-Wan commented. "You shall give him a big head if he hears you."  
  
Ty just grinned. "When do I start?"  
  
---  
  
Anakin got outside just in time to sea Luke drop the blaster.  
  
Leia was beside him, hanging on to him and him to her. On the floor in front, a very dead person was lying on the floor. It took him a minute to take all of it in. Then he did the first thing he knew how to do: he put his arms around both children.  
  
"What happened?" he whispered.  
  
"I didn't mean it to go off," sobbed the little boy, burying his head in his father's shoulders.  
  
"When grownups ask you not to play with these thing, this would be one of those reasons why." He said gently. He rubbed both children's backs for a minute, and then separated himself from them to see exactly who and what this guy was.  
  
He ran a hand over the logo, recognising it. "Imperial jacket."  
  
Then took a closer look at the guy, and realised nothing about him looked imperial.  
  
"Non-imperial guy."  
  
The mystery deepened.  
  
He picked the blaster up off the floor, and the guys pass card. He then hurried the children along best he could, practically pushing them round one of the corners. He needed to drag the body into that hold or someone would see, but that wasn't something toddlers should witness.  
  
---  
  
"I don't care what people say, when you see your little girl blast a guy, she's not so little anymore."  
  
Padme just lifted an eyebrow at her mother. "The captain can retrieve him in a moment."  
  
"I do wish he's hurry." Her mother fidgeted. "This is a little uncomfortable."  
  
"This is life on Coruscant." Padme smiled. "Besides, this man could be a great help to finding my husband and children."  
  
"How?"  
  
"He came here, he's wearing that stupid symbol," she pointed to it. "Hence, I think he knows were my children are."  
  
"What good is it if he won't tell you?"  
  
"Oh believe me," Padme said, gravely. "If my security force can't deal with this guy, he'll tell me."  
  
"You don't know that,"  
  
"I do." Padme said. "There is nothing more frightening than an angry mother."  
  
---  
  
"Why Kann?" Obi-Wan asked.  
  
They were walking to the council's chambers to inform them of the plan. The walk had been quiet so far, but considering Siri's manner with the older padawan, he was curious and decided to indulge in it for once.  
  
"He scores well on his classes, he knows Coruscant, He-"  
  
"There's something else."  
  
"I almost took him on once."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And he knows how to keep a secret."  
  
Obi-Wan stopped, "He knows? Force, Siri how many people were you planning on telling before, oh say, the father?"  
  
"He seen me in the med centre, he's friends with Bants padawan." Siri commented. "What was I supposed to - oh!"  
  
"What?"  
  
Siri loked a little panicked. "I felt somrthing. In my stomache."  
  
"I'm not surprised." Obi-Wan commented. "There's a baby in there."  
  
"No jokes, this is - ohhh!" Siri squeaked slightly.  
  
Obi-wan turned on his com link. "Bant? We're coming down to the med centre, can you meet us?"  
  
Bant's voice came over the com, "What's wrong? And who's we?"  
  
"Siri and I."  
  
The voice cam over the com, "Get her down here."  
  
---  
  
Well, it wasn't too bad. Go to Holly and Katie for being half inspiring! 


	15. The Price

Okay, this is basically on time, so don't get mad. Excuse it if it's a little sloppy, I tried brainstorming, but it went a little wrong.  
  
---  
  
They must have been walking for at least an hour, perhaps more. Anakin yawned sleepily, never more wanting the comfort of his bed in the Temple, and to doze with a cup of hot chocolate under a fluffy duvet. Instead, he looked round at his two children, who were a weird mixture of quietness and arguing between themselves. He supposed it was their way of dealing; they were far too young to be dealing or comprehending things of this nature.  
  
He just wanted to tell them everything was all right, but something told him they would have nightmares about this for a long time. I suppose one ay he could help those nightmares, if Padme could learn to put up with him, not that she has too. But he could hope.  
  
He could hear them bickering behind him, and he supposed he should chide them on it, but he was tired and irritable also.  
  
"This is such a mess," he heard Leia comment, as she scuffed her shoes on the floor.  
  
"Way to state the obvious!" Luke replied, in a down toned voice.  
  
"Well this is all your fault!" Leia said, getting more and more irritated by the sounds of it.  
  
"How 'sit my fault?" Luke said, sounding annoyed now too.  
  
"You were the one screaming so Auntie Sola couldn't hear it wasn't Mommy!"  
  
"Well you were wailing too!"  
  
"Was not!"  
  
"Was too,"  
  
Out of the corner of his eye Anakin seen Luke shove Leia, then she him. He turned quietly."Kids.."  
  
And Luke stumbled back against the wall, crashing a little too loudly for his fathers liking. But to his complete surprise, the wall seemed to move, like something out of an old spy movie on holovid. Luke looked up in awe, and even his daughter seemed amazed.  
  
'We may get out of this yet!'  
  
---  
  
"Everything is alright then?"  
  
Bant pulled the little sticky things -  
  
'I'm so technical' Siri thought.  
  
- off her stomach. Her heart rate was racing a little, she knew but she was worried.  
  
Bant cocked her head at one side, giving Obi-Wan an odd glance, the smiled a little at Siri. "You're fine."  
  
"And my baby?"  
  
Bant shot her a curious look, then looked at Obi-Wan then back to her. "He knows now?"  
  
Siri nodded, "Yeah, he knows."  
  
"Well, thank the force for that." Bant commented. "The amount of times you're here, it's so hard to avoid you!" she said to Obi-Wan.  
  
Siri cleared her throat.  
  
"Oh!" Bant said, "Baby is fine too, but I'm running some scans, as they probably will need to be done soon anyway."  
  
Siri went to get up, and Bant stopped her. "You need to take it easy though."  
  
"I thought you said nothing was wrong," Siri asked, running her hand across her stomach.  
  
"No, there isn't." Bant said, "but this could be a warning to take it slower."  
  
"And it could have been something I ate!"  
  
"I'm relieving you of duty for the day, I want you to put your feet up." Bant said, searching for the appropriate paperwork. "Perhaps even read a book."  
  
"Bant, I do not need."  
  
"Knight Tachi!" Bant said, "Don't make me relieve you of duty for the next six months!"  
  
Siri groaned, and sighed much too loudly, "Fine."  
  
Obi-Wan couldn't help but smile at the scene. Somehow, he'd never seen Siri as a mother, but Bant on the other hand.  
  
"Will you make sure she goes back to her apartment?" Bant asked him.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded.  
  
"Thank you." She commented, not giving any notice to the daggers Siri was shooting her.  
  
If looks could kill.  
  
---  
  
"Do they know anything yet?"  
  
Sabe sat down beside her best friend, setting both the cups of steaming hot coffee in front of them. She noticed the young mother was looking worse and worse, and getting more and more nervy as the days went on without her children.  
  
"Not yet," Padme said, taking a sip. "They're trying."  
  
"Once more, with even less confidence."  
  
Padme sighed, "I can't help it!"  
  
"Worrying won't help!"  
  
"That's the problem, Sabe." Padme whispered. "Thugs are taking over my life and there's not a thing I can do. I'm helpless."  
  
"You've never been helpless, Padme."  
  
"Maybe that's why it hurts so much."  
  
"You just.can't think about it, that's all."  
  
"Easier said than done."  
  
"Sabe to the rescue!" Sabe smiled, "So I heard from Sache."  
  
"How is she?"  
  
"Oh she's great!" Sabe said, "But you'll never guess what she heard about Rabe, and that Palace guard."  
  
---  
  
"You didn't have to walk me here," Siri commented, when they reached her front door.  
  
"Yes, I did. I promised." Obi-Wan said.  
  
"Yes, but it's not like she'd hunt you down and feed you to rabid wolves if you hadn't." Siri said, then muttered, "Stupid key won't go in," as she attempted to get in to her apartment.  
  
"Here," he said, calmly taking her key from her hand, then putting it in the lock where it turned instantly.  
  
"I hate it when that happens," she muttered.  
  
As she walked in the door, she noticed a piece of paper folded on the floor, with her name scribbled on it. She bent to pick it up.  
  
"Pretty soon you won't be able to do that," Obi-Wan said to himself, almost.  
  
Siri shot him a dirty look, muttered something about never calling a woman fat, then opened the card, and read.  
  
Her face fell. "It's from Ty," she said. "He is't allowed to take the mission."  
  
"What?" Obi-Wan asked. "Why?"  
  
"Apparently," then a soft smile lit up her features, "His master thinks he should take the trails!"  
  
"Well, that's good, anyway."  
  
"But Anakin - Oh!" her eyes opened wide, and she looked at her stomach.  
  
"Is it that again?" he asked, concern in his voice.  
  
Siri nodded, "Oh.That feels so weird.Oh!"  
  
"Well come on, Bant must be wrong, the baby." Obi-Wan was starting to sound a little panicked.  
  
"Shh." Siri said. "I think, I think I know what it is."  
  
"Really? What?"  
  
She grabbed his hand and pushed it on her stomach. "You feel that?"  
  
He nodded slowly. "What is that?"  
  
"I think our babies kicking!"  
  
---  
  
Not much of a cliff hanger, but pretty cute, right? 


End file.
